Dredge.



G. JOHNSON.

DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

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G. H. JOHNSON.

DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 190B. 926, 1 22. Patented June 29, 1909.

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GEORGE HAMILTON JOHNSON, OF ARNPRIOR, ONTARIO, CANADA.

DREDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed December 31, 1908. Serial No. 470,258.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HAMILTON JOHNSON, of Arnprior, in the county 01' RenireW, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dredge-s, and the objects 01' my invention are to provide a dredge which may be very rapidly operated by a minimum number of men, to economically excavate and carry away material.

Further objects are to cheapen the construction of the dredge and to enable the scow carrying the excavated material to also carry and support the operating parts of the dredge.

In carrying out the invention in practice a scow or other floatable vessel is employed having suitable propelling means and a receptacle for the excavated material, said receptacle dumping through the bottom 01' the scow. A pivotally supported beam is provided extending over the receptacle and pro trading forwardly over the bow of the scow and on. this beam a carrier is mounted having a suitable claw bucket mounted thereon, the operating rope of which extends to a suitable drum on the rear part of the scow and a second operating rope for actuating the carrier outwardly in combination with means for braking or retarding the movement of the carrier, all as hereinafter more fully set forth and described in detail in the accompanying specifications and drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the dredge. Fig. 2 is a section along the line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view 01' the transverse beam. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the pivotal support 01' the beam. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 1.. Fig. 6 is a section on the line i l, Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 5-5 Fig. 6.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a scow or other vessel of suitable character having a receptacle B disposed therein for the reception of excavated material, the said receptacle preferably having the bottom thereof formed by hinged doors 10 and 1 1, adapted to open downwardly and normally held in closed position by means of ropes or chains 55 12 connecting the doors with reels 13 on a longitudinally extending shaft 14 which may be actuated in any suitable manner to open and close the door. The scow may be propelled in any manner, that I prefer to employ comprising twin. screws 15 and 16 driven by a suit able engine and by means of which the scow may be steered without a rudder.

In accordance with the present invention, a track O is supported from the scow extending over the receptacle B and projecting forwardly over the bow. This track is pivotally supported in order to permit 01' adj ustment during the dredge operation and in the embodiment illustrated it is formed of an I- bcam 17, having a pivoting pin 18 secured thereto at one end which extends into a socket bearing 19 on a standard 20, the l'or ward part 01' the beam being supported by means of a carriage 21 which has rollers 22 thereon which engage a transversely extending arcuate track 23, the said track being supported from the standards 24 and 25 on the sides of the scow, the longitudinal track being adjusted from side to side by means 01' ropes or chains 26 connecting the carriage with a suitable winch 27, said rope or chains extending over suitable pulleys 2S and 29 which should be supported at the point of juncture of the standards and transverse beam.

Mounted on the track C with freedom of longitudinal movement thereon is a carrier D in the form illustrated being supported by lOllOl'S 30 which run on the lower flanges of the I-beam 17, the said carrier being connected to an endless chain or rope 31 which extends over pulleys 32 which are mounted on shafts 33 at opposite ends 01' the track C, the said shal'ts being supported .lrom the track by suitable bearings 3 1 and also having brake-wheels 35 and 36 on the outward extremity, the said brake-wheels having brakeshoes 37 extending around the periphery of the same and adapted to retard the brakewheel and thereby retard the carrier for the purpose hereinafter explained. The brakeshoes illustrated are semi-annular in form and may be adjusted through the medium 01' a bolt 37, having screw threaded engagement with the end of the brake shoe, having its opposite end connected by a chain 38 with a lug 39 on the track. To move the carrier outwardly a rope or chain 40 is provided extending over a second sheave 4:1 in the pulley 32 and being connected to a suitable winding drum within the cabin E on the boat.

F represents an excavating bucket of any suitable type, that illustrated being Haywards claw bucket; it is supported from the carrier by means of a rope or chain 42 connected at its inner end to the carrier D, then extending down through a pulley 43 on the claw bucket, then back through a pulley 44: on the carrier and from thence to a second winding drum of any usual form, preferably located in the cabin E.

In the operation of the device the scow proceeds under its own power to the place where the excavation is to be made and is suitably anchored in position for work. The actuation of the rope 40 will cause the carrier to move outwardly and by loosening the rope 42, the bucket may be made to descend. As soon as the bucket has received its load the winding drum controlling rope 42 is actuated causing, a pull to be exerted on the carrier. The brake shoes 3. are so adjusted that this initial pull will not be sutlicient to cause the bucket to move inwardly but will be suflicient to raise the bucket outwardly until it reaches the carrier. As soon as the bucket strikes the carrier the continued pull on the rope or chain 42 will cause the carrier to move inwardly. As soon as the carrier is over the cente of the receptacle B the pull on the rope or chain 42 is released and the carrier, under the influence of the retarding brake shoes, will come to rest and the bucket may be lowered and opened, and this opera tion may be repeated as often as necessary. It will be observed that the excavating bucket as operated is completely controlled by only two ropes h) and The apparatus is simple and effective in operation and. is practical to operate with only three men. When the receptacle B has been filled the scow may be moved to a dumping ground and the receptacle dumped thus doing away with the necessity of employing carrying scows or barges.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims, could be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in these specifications and draw ings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a dredge or like apparatus and in combination, an excavating bucket, a receptacle for the excavated material, a track extending over the receptacle and protruding forwardly over the work, a pivotal support for the rear end of the carrier, a carriage connected to the forward end of the beam, a transverse beam adapted to support the carriage, means for actuating the carrier outwardly and inwardly, and means for operatively connecting the bucket to the carrier.

2. In a dredge or like apparatus and in combination, an excavating bucket, a receptacle for the excavated material, a track supported above the receptacle and extending outwardly over the work, a carrier mounted on the track with freedom to move longitudinally on the same, retarding means for the carrier, means for actuating the carrier outwardly, a flexible connector connected to the carrier and the bucket by means of which the bucket may e raised and the carrier moved inwardly.

In a dredge or like apparatus and in combination, an excavating bucket, a receptacle for the excavated material, a track supported over the receptacle extending outwardly over the work, a carrier on the track, pulleys at opposite ends of the track, braking means for the pulleys, an endless chain connected at its extremities to the carrier and extending over the pulleys, means for actuating the carrier outwar I a flexible connector connecting the carrier and bucket by means of which both may be actuated.

4. In a dredge or li e apparatus and in combination, a scow having receptacle for the excavated material formed thereon and adapted to empty through the bottom of the same, a track supported over the receptacle and extending outwardly over the bow of the scow, a carrier on the track, means for actuating the carrier outwardly and inwardly, and means for operively connecting the buckets with the carrier.

5. In a dredge or like apparatus and in combination, a scow havii a receptacle thereon, a beam extendin fore and aft over the receptacle and etrudzng forwardly over the bow of the .v, a carrier on the track, means for actuating the carrier outwardly and inwardly, an excavating bucket, and means for operativcly connecting the bucket with the carrier.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HAMILTON JOHNSON.

l v' itnesses:

Tmnvon H. GROUT, CnAs. MAONAMARA. 

